Desizing of PVA sized pet/cotton fabrics with atmospheric pressure plasma

Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment was evaluated as a desizing aid for the removal of polyvinyl alcohol from polyester/cotton fabric. The effect of plasma gas mixture and plasma duration was examined using helium gas with fractions of oxygen and carbon tetrafluoride, and for plasma exposures ranging from 0.5–10 min. The percent desizing was measured for samples exposed only to plasma, and for samples subsequently washed in hot or cold water for 2–30 min. Plasma treatment increased desizing of samples washed in cold water, but complete desizing was unattainable. Hot water removed almost all size, regardless of plasma treatment. However, for cold water washes at short durations, greater desizing was achieved for samples treated with helium/carbon tetrafluoride plasma than for a control. Tensile testing demonstrated no loss in tensile or elongation properties due to plasma treatment, and dye absorption was not adversely affected.